In OCFA, doubt of leadership, future

Where once they felt pride, Orange County Fire Authority firefighters now feel frustration and a lack of faith in their agency, according to a confidential internal survey of 259 union members that was obtained by the Watchdog.

In recent months, the Fire Authority has clawed its way through several embarrassing episodes: The agency collected hundreds of thousands in inspection fees for hazmat inspections that were never done; it endured some blistering criticism from the grand jury for salaries that jurors said were far in excess of economic demand; and it took heat from Irvine officials after a hazmat engine crew took its truck to watch one of the firefighters' kids' Pop Warner football game.

The anonymous survey, completed in December by the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, decried management for lying to the media in an attempt to spin out of embarrassing controversies and likened the firefighting agency to the Titanic.

“I have witnessed behavior from our management at HQ that would get one fired, sued or arrested in the civilian/corporate world,” said one respondent. “We have turned from a premier fire department to one that has non-firefighter leadership and less ability to think and act like firefighters.”

Another firefighter said many of his colleagues have given up in frustration.

“I am not proud of the organization,” said the commenter. “I've recently gotten rid of firefighter items in my home. I was considering putting in to teach this next academy, but I'm so disappointed in management that I didn't want to be at HQ.”

Joe Kerr, former president of the union, said the survey was meant to generate talking points to take to the administration as well as to the board.

“Firefighters are at the point where they are tired of being blamed for everything,” Kerr said.

Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion, speaking for the administration, said the Fire Authority takes seriously the concerns of the rank and file.

“If there are things we need to fix, I'm sure we'll do that,” Concepcion said.

Heavy on firefighters' minds is the hazardous materials inspection program, which charged businesses $360,000 in fees for inspections that didn't occur. Administrators chalked it up to a lack of communication and failure to follow through on the work. Now the department is considering turning over the inspection program to the county's Health Care Agency.

One firefighter said, “You have an assistant chief who dropped the ball with our inspection program and a battalion chief telling blatant lies to the Register about it to save face.”

While he was not named, Concepcion agreed it appeared that the “battalion chief” remark was aimed at him. He countered, “I don't ever lie to you guys.”

Many of the firefighters railed on Fire Chief Keith Richter and the perception that he is a weak leader.

“The fire chief does not own up to any of his blunders nor his staff errors. We have become a rudderless ship for three-plus years and now the wheels are coming off the cart,” said one firefighter.

Added another, “It is obvious he is here for a paycheck. I don't know who his sounding board is, but whoever is giving him advice is equally out of touch. All we can rely on is the crew on the rig, and it's getting really old having to watch your back with your own boss.”

Richter declined to respond but Concepcion argued that he is the right guy for the job.

“I personally like working for the chief. I think he is the right leader at the right time, with all the fiscal challenges. I think he is taking us in the right direction, although that is clearly not the feeling in the survey,” Concepcion said.

Firefighters in the survey also mourned what they call a loss of integrity.

“The seemingly lack of upper management integrity is most disturbing to me. What happened to doing the right thing? And do ethics somehow disappear with promotion?” wrote one firefighter.

The public backlash against the costs of overtime and pensions is grating on firefighters, who say in the survey that their work is being unfairly portrayed in the media. Some say they have only themselves to blame.

“I really think that we are going to be our own worst enemy,” said one firefighter. “If we fail to provide the best service possible, the public is going to attack us and our careers. The people with whom we have been in contact with on calls are always the ones to defend us and say we are worth every penny. It is the people who don't know how we operate and why who believe we are sucking the system dry.”

One firefighter answered the question – “What's the biggest threat to the fire service?” – with a single word: “Ourselves.”

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